Apparatus for saving metallic values



L. C. STOCKTON AND C. F. GODDARD. APPARATUS FOR SAVING METALLIC VALU'ES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, I918.

Patented J an. 13; 1920 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

L. c; STOCKTON AND 0. F. GODDARD. APPAIRATUS FOR-SAVING METALLIC VALUES.

I APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, I918- 1 327,885, Patented Jan. 13,1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

51 m Ffibidard.

gas

P, 3 +1. mm k y Rm: \SVV U -M f N 3 A N a a E km L. C. STOCKTON AND C. F. GODDARD.

APPARATUS FOR SAVING METALLIC VALUES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 18, 1918.

Patented Jan. 13, I

ahw wtoi $980123.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

which these values are contained TA E PATENT OFFICE LINCOLN C. sToCKToN AND CHARLES F. GOIDDARD, OF DENVER, CoLoEADqAss GNo s, BY DIRECT AND MESNE AssIGNMENTs, To THE METALZSEPARATION COMPANY, or DENVER, COLORADO, A CORPORATION or COLORADO. I y a.

APPARATUS FOR SAVING METALLIC VALUES. 7

Application filed March 18, 1918. Serial No;223;o'1a

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that we, LINCOLN C. STOCK- TON and (humans F. GODDARD, citizens of the United States, residing at the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Saving Metallic'Values; and we do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains' to make and use the same, reference'being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to apparatus for separating metallic values from pulp in free state or otherwise;

The specific apparatus illustrated in the drawing consists of a sluice divided longitudinally into channels by spaced partitions, the bottom of the sluice being provided with a number of transversely arranged openings which are properly spaced, there being a receptacle or container, preferably removable, into which the precipitated values which pass through the respective openings pass.

Each of these openings may be provided with a series of transversely arranged parallel wires, the said wires being unequally spaced in the various openings, those in the opening nearest the head or upper extremity of the sluice being the farthest apart,

'while the wires or metallic ribbons in the which constitutes the rising currents in order to classify the values which are, separated from the pulp.

we will proceed to describe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawing in which is illustrated oneform of apparatus for practising the invention.

In this drawing:

Figure .1 is an endelevationwof ourimproved sluice beinga view looking toward the lower eXtremityof the-slu ce or in=the I direction of arr0Ws 1,'Fig.-:2,

either in a Having briefly outlined our improvement Fig. 2 isa side elevation of the apparatus or a view-looking in the 'direction-ofarroWs 2, 1';

' Fig. 31s atop plan'iview ofthe apparatus, or a view looking in the directionxofl the arrows 3, Fig; 2.

'3, the'parts being, shown on' a much larger scale; I I

Fig.7 is a section taken on the line 7- 7,

Fig.5 viewed in the direction of the arrows.

Fig. 8" isa perspective view of one of the .receptacles or containers for the metallic values which are precipitated through the openings in the bottom of thesluice,

- Fig- 9 is a'fragmentary perspective '1Vl'6W of the bottom of the sluice i llustrating the distributing means for the wash water, arranged at the topfof each container,

The same reference characters indicate the same parts inallthe views. I I

Letftl1 e numeral 5 designate EHSllllce con- SIClBi'Gd :1n' its entirety and 1nclud1ng qa top member 6 which constitutes a sluice, proper,

the same being composed of-a bottom7'having; transverse openings 8 formed therein at suitable intervals,- each of said i openings being'provided With a device 9 carrying a series of wires 10 which are, arranged-'in'parallel relation across each opening'8' and held in place by end pieces 12 whose uppenedges are engagedbythe'extremities of the wires 10, these extremities being also 'bent =doWIiwardly as shown" at 13 r and clamped between the end; pieces 12- and 'o-therpie'cesl 14 which arearranged 1 outside :of the pieces 12, .the down-w'a r'c lly-bent-e'Xtrem-ities of the wires, being clamped: -between= the'. pieces :12 and 14; by meansot 'rods l5 and --fastening L-Iii'lts 1:6. 1

1 1,1 endpieces 112: arespaeed p rallel side I I I 60 Fig. f is a section taken through the wash .water conduitof thezsluice cutting. the sarne a holder for the series of parallel wires which are unequally spacedin the different openings, whereby the metallic values are classified in the various receptacles or containers 58 which are arranged below these openings. Each container is normally open at "the top and its upper extremity is forced tightly against a sheet of packing material 19 which is applied to the under surface of the sluice above each container and having openings 20 to register approximately with jthe openings 8 formed in the bottom of the sluice.

The wire structure illustrated in Fig. 5 is applied to the bottom of the sluice so that the opening therein across whichthe wires 10 are stretched register-s with the opening 8 in the bottom of the sluice, the wire holding structure being held in place in any suitable manner, as by means of screws 21 which are passed through openings in the bottom of the sluice and threaded into pieces 14 of the wire holding structure. Se-

cured to the sluice below each sheet of packing material is a rectangular frame 22 containing :two paralleltroughs' 23 arranged transversely of the sluice and connected at one extremity by a trough member 24. This frame work is secured to the bottom of the sluice in any suitable manner, as by means of bolts 25 which are passed through openings 26 formed in flanges 27 of the structure. The troughs 28 are perforated, as shown at 28, to receive wash water which is supplied from a conduit 29'extending longitudinally of the sluice and at one side thereof. The bottom of the conduit 29 is provided with a perforation 30 arranged directly above the end trough member 24; of the frame 22. The water which is supplied to each container 58 passes through one of these openings 30 and the volume of water may be regulated at will by adjusting a valve 31 whose stem 32 p asses through a threaded opening 3% formed in the top of the'conduit, the upper extremity 'of the stem having a handwheel 35 for co venience of manipulation.

The containers 58 are supported below the sluice proper by means of a floor 36, the bottom of each containerbeing provided with bearings 37 in which is journaled a shaft 38 having a crank 39 and a roller 40, where by as the shaft is given a partial rotation, the roller 40 is brought into engagement with' the floor 36 and the top of the tank forced tightly-upwardly against the corresponding packing sheet 19. Each shaft 38 has a crank handle 41'at one extremity thereof, the same being equipped to cooperate with a segmental ratchet 42, whereby the shaft 38 may be locked in the desired position of adjustment. Each of these containers has its bottom provided with a number of rollers or casters 18, whereby when the shaft 38 is adjusted to release any container, the latter may be drawn from underneath the sluice in order that its metallic contents may be removed. To facilitate the handling of the containers each is provided at one end with a hand piece 44:. j

The bottom 7 of the sluice is provided with a number of longitudinally disposed partitions 45 which are suitably spaced, whereby the sluice is divided into a number of longitudinally disposed compartments or channels 16, thus maintaining an approximately even distribution of the pulp or water, carrying the material under treatment over the bottom of the sluice and preventing any tendency of the sluice current to flow otherwise than in a direct course. It is, of course, advisable in a structure of this kind that the pulp under treatment should be evenly distributed over the bot" tom of the sluice and that the volume of the flowing sluice should be of even depth or thickness on the sluice bottom in order that the rising currents of wash water from the container may properly act thereon in the.

separation of the metallic values which are precipitated through the wire covered openings into the containers, as heretofore described.

manner which will permit adjustment for the purpose of increasing or diminishing the flow of pulp through the sluice. As illustrated in the drawing the bottom 36 of the q The sluice may be mounted in any suitable I structure on which the containers rest is supported by longitudinally disposed beams 47 which are in turn supported by transverse beams L8, the latter being supported by adjustable screws 49 which are threaded in bottom parts 50, the screws being adjustable in any suitable manner. The sluice proper is supported by uprights 51 whose upper extremities engage channel members 52 which directly engage the under surface of the bottom of the sluice, the uprights -beas well as the manner of practising the process covered by this application, will be readily understood.

Assuming that the parts of the apparatus are assembled, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, the wash water will be fed into the conduit 29 until the tanks or con tainers 18 are .The pulp be treated will then be turned into the sluice and the wash water being simultaneously supplied will cause currents of water topass upwardly from the containers through the openings in the bottom of the sluice and through the wires 10 with which these openings are provided, these rising currents of water serving to sustain the gangue while they allow the heavier metallic values to precipitate or pass downwardly into the containers. By virtue of the construction and arrangement heretofore described the volume and pressure of the water delivered to each container may be controlled by adjusting the valves 31 and through the medium of these valves the pressure and volume of water as it rises through the openings in the bottom of the sluice will be proportioned according to the material to be saved or precipitated in the several containers. Forinstance, the uppermost container will receive the heaviest and largest particles while the particles in the other containers will diminish in weight and size successively from the head to the lower extremity of the sluice.

When it is desired to clean up or remove the values from any container it will only be necessary to loosen the container by adjusting the crank shaft 38, after which the container may be moved laterally from underneath the sluice proper, as heretofore indicated.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim is 1. Concentrating apparatus, comprising a sluice having an opening in the bottom thereof, a readily removable tank positioned below said opening, means on the under side of said sluice to discharge water into said tank and means to seal said tank against said under side of the sluice.

2. Concentrating apparatus, comprising a sluice having an opening in the bottom thereof, a readily removable tank positioned below said opening, means on the under side of said sluice to discharge water into said tank, and means to seal said tank against said under side of the sluice, said means including packing material disposed between the sluice and the edges of the tank.

3. Concentrating apparatus, comprising a sluice having an opening in the bottom thereof, a readily removable tank positioned means on the under side of the sluice to discharge water into the tank.

a. Concentratingapparatus, comprising a sluice having an opening in the bottom thereof, a readily removable tank positioned below said opening, means to clamp said tank securely against said sluice, means on the under side of the sluice to discharge Water into the tank, and a runway below said sluice on which said tank is mounted.

-5. Concentrating apparatus,comprising a sluice having an opening in the bottom thereof, a readily removable tank positioned below said opening, means to clamp said tank securely against said sluice, means on the under side of the sluice to discharge water into the tank, and a runway below said sluice on which said tank is mounted, said tank being provided with wheels.

6. The combination of a sluice proper whose bottom is provided with openings, packing material applied to the lower surface of the bottom of the sluice adjacent the respective openings, containers readily movable respectively arranged underneath the sluice and in communication with the respective openings, means for forcing the containers upwardly into engagement with the respective layers of packing material and securing and sealing the containers in place, and means for introducing liquid in measured volume into the respective containers.

7. The combination of a sluice proper whose bottom'is provided with open areas, packing material applied to the lower surface of the bottom of the sluice adjacent the respective open areas, removable containers respectively arranged underneath the sluice and in communication with the respective open areas, and means for releasably applying the containers to the sluice below the bottom thereof to seal them there against, the containers being arranged to be respectively in communication with the said open areas of the sluice, and means for introducing liquid in measured volume into the respective containers.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

LINCOLN C. STOCKTON. CHARLES F. GODDARD.

It is hereby certified that the assignee in Letters Patent N 0. 1,327,885, granted January 13, 1920, upon the application of Lincoln O. Stockton and Charles F. Goddard, of Denver, Colorado, for an improvement in Apparatus for Saving Metallic Values, was erroneously described and specified as The Metal Separation Company, of Denver, Colorado, a Corporation of Colorado, Whereas said assignee should have been described and specified as v The Metals Separation Company, of Denver, Colorado, a Corporation of Colorado, as shown by the records of assignments in this ofiice; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Oflice.

Signed and sealed this 10th day of February, A. D., 1920.

M. H. COULSTON,

[sEAL.]

Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

